Who I Work Best With

I work best with teens who are voluntarily coming to counseling because they want to feel better and improve their lives. It’s normal to feel nervous about meeting with a therapist, especially before the first session, but therapy works best when it’s something your teen wants to do.

Important Considerations for Teen/Adolescent Counseling:

Sometimes, teens need to talk to an adult who is not their parent.

Many times, parents are frustrated that their teens are reluctant to talk to them or no longer open up about their problems. It helps to know that this a normal part of adolescent development. Also, it may be hard for your teen to be completely honest with you about their thoughts and feelings, for fear of worrying you or damaging important relationships. While teens tend to place the most value on peer relationships, they also recognize that their friends don’t have all the answers. Therapy is a safe space for teens to work out their issues with a caring, neutral professional.

Important Considerations for Teen Counseling:

Your teen needs to feel safe opening up during therapy.

For that reason, I respect my teen clients right to confidentiality. Unless there is a safety concern, or your child reports abuse, I will not disclose the specifics of what your teen says in therapy. At the same time, I understand the importance of staying connected with parents, and I value your input. I am always open to discussing your observations or concerns. I also meet with the parents of my adolescent clients at regular intervals to discuss progress on goals and how we can best work together to support your teen.

Consistency is important.

My experience has taught me that regular weekly sessions yield the best results for adolescents. Weekly sessions help establish a consistent therapeutic bond, build on skills introduced in earlier sessions, and allows us to work on what’s most relevant right now.

Therapy supports positive change, but what is happening in school and work matters, too.

Therapy works best if your teen feels safe and supported at home and school. I take a “person in environment” approach, and collaborate with you and your teen to consider all the improvements that can be made.